The Quadruple Aim as a Framework for Integrative Group Medical Visits.

Integrative group medical visits (IGMVs) are a compelling health service delivery innovation, which create an opportunity to expand access to complementary and integrative health care (CIH). IGMVs add CIH to existing group medical visit (GMV) models, in response to CIH’s inaccessibility to many people due to limited insurance coverage and high out-of-pocket costs. Although IGMV programs and GMVs more broadly vary in structure, duration, frequency, and staffing, researchers and practitioners have identified benefits to patients, health care staff, and organizations that are present across IGMV models. Having identified a need for a framework to support IGMV implementation and research, the authors propose the Quadruple Aim Framework. Researchers suggest that GMVs can meet the goals of the Quadruple Aim by (1) improving patient experience through extended time with the clinician, peer support, and engagement in care; (2) improving population health through better patient health outcomes; (3) lowering health care costs, as demonstrated in studies of GMV cost-effectiveness; and (4) improving practitioner experience described in qualitative research with GMV practitioners. The authors recommend that the Quadruple Aim be used as a framework to guide the future of both group-delivered services and research, to measure the potential impact of these programs on advancing health equity. Eventually, they hope that innovations such as these will lead to widespread uptake and sustainment of CIH interventions across the socioeconomic spectrum.